4.5 stars, rounded up

What a fantastic duology finale! This Ends in Embers made me feel all the emotions and kept me on edge nearly every other chapter! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Picking up soon after the end of So Let Them Burn, with Faron and Elara once again unintentionally separated, This Ends in Embers plunges the reader into the midst of frantic preparations for an inevitable war. With a ruthless First-Rider-Turned-Almost-God on the loose and seeking to conquer all the lands around San Irie, the surrounding empires are rallied together by the newly-gods-chosen Elara and her allies. Meanwhile, Faron finds herself fighting alongside the dreaded Iya, trying to save the lives of two boys she can’t help but protect. Fallen from the gods’ graces and her "chosen one" pedestal after letting her island burn to the ground, Faron must battle her inner demons alongside the external war threatening her world. How can they prevent further destruction and save each other at the same time?

I loved returning to this world and these characters, who completely stole my heart when I read So Let Them Burn over the summer. That same heart ached for them endlessly as they endured so much suffering on opposite sides of a war they were, once again, thrown into despite their young age. Elara and Faron are incredible MCs - so strong against adversity, with an unbreakable bond that guides them through near-impossible choices. While they sometimes frustrated me with their spiraling self-deprecation - which, though understandable, occasionally felt a bit repetitive - I admired how the author made their inner turmoil so tangible.

Their budding relationships with their love interests were also beautifully handled. I especially appreciated that Elara's romance (my favorite!) didn't suddenly explode into a sweeping love affair but instead built gradually and tentatively, given its slow and complicated start. Oh, and the found-family vibes between the sisters and Avelin? Spot-on in this second novel!

In terms of plot, much of This Ends in Embers focuses on preparations for the impending war and Iya’s initial attacks. For a while, I wished for a bit more action in the first part... until it all culminated in the action, and I realized the balance was perfect! The plot is engaging, and the action is gripping, filled with so much uncertainty - Will XX make it? Will they win? And if so, at what cost? Who will die in the process? So many questions, and such a rollercoaster of emotions. And the situation with the dragons!! I can’t say more without spoilers, but so much of it hurt... and yet it was tied up so well.

Thank you, Kamilah Cole, for writing such a spectacular duology. I can’t wait for this to be out so I can add it to my bookshelf! I’d recommend this duology to all YA fantasy readers and lovers of dragons.

So, I was reading my review of the first book when I realized that it came out just this past January. There is barely a ten month difference between that review and this one, which boggled my mind. So Let Them Burn was in the opening round of the Choice Awards; I guess it didn't really hit me until I started writing this.

You'd think I'd remember a lot more when I came into this book, but I didn't, really.

I recalled the major story bits, sure, but there were so many minor characters who were brought into the light more, and I could not for the life of me remember who they were. The only side characters I found interesting last time were the love interests and the queen, and their roles, while important, were really minimized to make way for these characters, and I couldn't bring myself to care about them. It really dragged the story and made me disengage so many times. I actually found myself falling asleep while reading this (I'm also dealing with a sore throat, so that could've contributed, too).

I think Cole did try harder with the worldbuilding, expanding upon the relationships San Irie had with nations other than Langley; otherwise, it didn't really change from the first book. Most is focused on retreading old ground, but there was one scene where San Irie's citizens were rallying to overthrow the monarchy and the Childe Empyrean. That was interesting, and while there were some hints on expanding on it, the beginning of a democracy is just swept over at the end (i.e., it only happens because the queen dies. The council formed is explained away in a couple paragraphs. Lemme tell ya, it's not satisfying, whatsoever).

As for Elara and Faron, my investment, funnily enough, swapped. Faron's captivity by Iya and the exploration of her being a monster held so much more of my interest. Elara's becoming the Childe Empyrean in her sister's place was something, but I didn't really care much about anything else she had going on, including her romance with her dragon partner. Keep in mind, I was still bored regardless of POV, but at least Faron's part managed to capture something from me.

All in all, this was a fine series, but I dunno if I will continue to read anything more from Cole. Her adult dark academia debut could be different from this series in a good way. Guess I'll wait and see want comes in the future.

After the tumultuous climax of the last book, Faron and Elara once again at war, but this time on opposite sides. There is magic, and there are dragons, and betrayal and political manoeuvring. I was gripped throughout the book and definitely would read more set in this world. Based on that ending, I think there's so much more story here!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

An exhilarating, epic conclusion to a brilliant series. It Ends in Embers picks up right where So Let Them Burn ended and as reader, I really enjoyed seeing the emotional ramifications of the previous battle as well as what was yet to happen. I loved the twists, the tension, the sisters fight for their world and happiness. Just a stunning series. I can’t wait to see what Kamilah Cole writes next. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC.

I read the first in this duology (which is essential really) and although I liked the world-building and the basis of the plot, I found the style and pacing to be a bit off, which I put down to debut author hiccups. So I picked this up with neutral expectations. All the elements for a strong fantasy are there and there are moments of real tension, interesting plot developments, and excellent dragons. However I still found the style and pacing to be off at times and the plot/characters don't engage as they should. I found myself finishing the book out of stubbornness rather than because I was gripped. It is a pity as there is a lot of good potential here, and it wouldn't take much of a shift to be great rather than fine

I really enjoyed this follow up to So Let Them Burn. It felt raw and like it reached inside my bones and pulled.

Cole’s writing is evocative and heart wrenching, and made me re-examine what it means to be a sister.

It was an angry, emotional, beautiful rendering, full of rage and bad decisions and consequences. The power of a book is to take us somewhere we’ve never been, and I thought the examination of what it means to be a colonised island recently freed, a colonising empire and it’s decline and the politics of world powers was cleverly done.

I also really liked the world building, and how there was discussion around how the whole continent was affected and not just Farrah’s country.

I highly recommend this.